


New Ideals

by KadiRose0101



Series: Serendipity | Derek Morgan [2]
Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Behavioral Analysis Unit (Criminal Minds), F/M, Serial Killer, Unsub - Freeform, criminal, criminal minds - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:20:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,114
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28476069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KadiRose0101/pseuds/KadiRose0101
Summary: Elizabeth has her first day with the BAU and is introduced to the profilers she will be working with. She is introduced to several interesting characters and begins to form an interesting bond with a certain agent.
Relationships: Derek Morgan/Elizabeth Afton
Series: Serendipity | Derek Morgan [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2085540
Kudos: 4





	New Ideals

**Author's Note:**

> "We all want to break our orbits, float like a satellite gone wild in space, run the risk of disintegration. We all want to take our lives in our own hands and hurl them out among the stars."  
> \- David Bottoms

Elizabeth awoke the next morning feeling both excited and nervous. It was bound to be an eventful day especially since she would be meeting her new team. Aaron had already reassured her that they would be welcoming and accepting of her presence, but that didn't make her any less worried that she would look like a fool.

She had never worked for the FBI before and Scotland Yard was different from their team. Plus, the American government was sure to have some differences from the British government. She would probably feel assured once she had seen them all face to face.

None of the team members knew that she was joining though, it was going to be a total surprise. Aaron thought it best to leave it that way for now and she agreed with him.

She pulled herself out of bed and stood up, stretching. Her back cracked and she felt her muscles tighten before releasing. She walked over to the bathroom and decided she would take another shower. It wasn't really for a matter of cleaning again, but to calm her nerves. She almost felt nauseous.

She finished with her shower quickly and then got out, wrapping a towel around her body. She blowdried her hair until it fell in long brown waves, stopping in the middle of her back. She walked back into her bedroom and into her walk-in closet.

She threw on a pair of undergarments before contemplating outfits. She decided on a simple pair of black slacks that cut off just above her ankles and a white button-up with polka dots. She left the top two buttons unbuttoned so that it fell open naturally and then rolled up the sleeves to below her elbows.

She ran around and did the rest of her routine before slipping on a pair of black heels to match with everything. She contemplated putting her hair up in a ponytail but ultimately decided to leave it down.

She threw on a little mascara and a red lipstick. Once she felt sufficient, she headed downstairs and grabbed her purse. She looked around and couldn't find her car keys, but saw they were sitting on the kitchen counter. She ran over and grabbed them before stepping out the door.

She got into her new car and started it. It felt extremely odd to be sitting on the left side of the car when she was so familiar with the right side. America had many different things and this was just one. She also had to remember that they drove on the right side of the road, not the left.

Elizabeth pulled out of her driveway and started the drive towards the BAU. The drive was peaceful as she drove through the roads of trees lining the sides. The traffic wasn't excessive this early in the morning so she made it there in a timely fashion.

She pulled into the parking lot of the FBI building and found a parking spot. She sat there for a few moments giving herself a mental pep talk that everything was going to go fine and that the team would be accepting. She was nervous they would be angry with an outsider. After all, they must be close especially since they spent a lot of time together away on cases, sometimes seeing each other more than their families in Quantico.

She grabbed her purse and got out of her car. She locked it before heading for the entrance. Security checked her over before letting her into the building. They had been advised of her starting today and allowed her up to the floor where the BAU was located.

She got in the lift and the doors were closing before a hand popped between the doors. They opened again and a woman with blonde hair walked inside. She was adorning what seemed to be every color of the rainbow. She had green glasses, her fingernails were painted bubblegum pink, and her dress was the same color as her fingernails, and she had a colorful scarf and miniature dolls hanging from her ears. The ensemble reminded her a little of Baby Spice.

Elizabeth was a little bit startled by her appearance, but was, for the most part, relatively intrigued. The girl looked up and instantly gave her a smile. Then her expression turned to surprise.

"Oh my gosh, you must be Elizabeth Afton." She spoke and a smile grew on her face.

Elizabeth's eyes widened. How did this strange woman know her name and what she looked like already? She had never met the woman, she was positive about that. She would have remembered someone who was so openly expressive in fashion choices.

The woman noticed Elizabeth's reaction. "Sorry, I'm Penelope Garcia." She held out her hand and Elizabeth shook it. "Technical analyst for the Behavioral Analysis Unit. Nice to meet you!"

Elizabeth was able to relax now that she knew the woman, her position, and that she was in the BAU. She smiled at Penelope warmly.

"Nice to meet you, Penelope." She responded and the woman's smile grew hearing the posh English accent.

"I completely forgot you were from London, what's it like over there?" She asked.

Elizabeth chuckled. "In London, taller buildings and ruder people. In Manchester, they're rather friendly. My mum and brother live there." She replied to the question and Penelope listened, obviously invested.

They took the lift up to the third floor and stepped out. "Well, our stop is here. Those glass doors lead to the bullpen. The team is in there and Hotch's office is on the small upper level. Loop around and you'll see it." She pointed ahead to the glass doors. "My office is that first door on the right, call me if you need me." She said and then bid her adieu.

Elizabeth took a deep breath before stepping forward toward the glass doors. She walked inside and she walked further into the room. The first person to notice her was a man who looked beyond handsome. Godly was a better definition. He had dark caramel skin, dark brown eyes, and strong stature.

He broke away from the group of the other three people and walked over to her. He gave her a charming smile which she returned gently. He met her after a few steps.

"How can I help you?" He questioned.

"I-I'm looking for Aaron Hotchner," she stuttered nervously.

Just then, the man she had been searching for stepped out of his office, having seen her through the window. He stepped down the stairs and walked over to Elizabeth and the man. He gave her a smile.

"Elizabeth, glad you made it." He spoke and walked over and gave her a soft hug.

She chuckled and pulled back from him. "Did you doubt I would show up?" She asked, feeling cheeky.

"No, I had full confidence." He said.

The man who was watching them looked on in curiosity, wondering how Aaron knew the short British woman who had just entered the bullpen.

Aaron turned to the other man. "This is Elizabeth Afton, she's joining the team as a profiler." He spoke and then gestured to the man. "And Elizabeth, this is SSA Derek Morgan."

Elizabeth held out her hand and Derek gladly accepted the offer. He shook her hand, his hand engulfing hers, and gave her another smile. He was intrigued that there was another profiler joining the team, especially since Aaron hadn't mentioned it before.

"I'm going to introduce you to the rest of the team," Aaron spoke and they walked over to the group.

The rest of the group looked over to them as they walked up. "Everyone, this is Elizabeth Afton, she will be joining the team as another profiler. She worked at Scotland Yard and worked with Kate Joyner for a few years. We also liaised in the same case." He introduced.

The team all smiled at her and she felt a little shy and pressured, being under the gaze of the profilers. She hoped that they wouldn't profile her while she was working with them.

A woman with black hair and brown eyes stepped up to her and shook her hand. "Agent Emily Prentiss, call me whatever you'd like." She said and smiled excitedly.

Then another blonde woman stepped up to her. "Jennifer Jareau, Communications Liason. Everyone calls me JJ."

A man piped up. He was wearing a sweater and had shoulder length brown hair. "Dr. Spencer Reid, everyone calls me Reid. Please don't say, agent." He spoke and she nodded with a smile.

She looked around and felt like she was missing a person. As if on cue, she heard someone call her name from behind. She turned around and saw Gideon walking into the bullpen. A smile spread across her face.

"Hey kid," he spoke with a smile in his voice.

"Hi Gideon," she replied. He walked over to her and wrapped her in a hug. She chuckled at the man, hugging him back.

Jason hadn't changed since the last time she had seen him at a seminar a while back. He had been one of the people to inspire her to pursue profiling and helped move forward her decision to try and find a position. David Rossi was one of the other people to inspire her. She had last seen David at one of his book tour stops. He had been in London at a bookstore and she had gone, having read a majority of his books out of curiosity. Very conveniently, she was able to join the Quantico team.

Aaron directed back to the group. "Currently, we're not working a case. So, everyone is currently doing paperwork. Prentiss can show you the ropes and give you a tour," he spoke and Emily smiled, happy to do the honors.

Morgan looked disappointed for a moment that he wasn't going to be showing her the way but quickly pushed it off. Just because she was beautiful didn't mean he could lose his head. This was a professional work environment and he was nervous to let anything get in the way of that. He loved his job and his team and he didn't want to make things awkward for anyone around him.

He did admire her in a sense though. She was beautiful. She had the most beautiful chocolate brown eyes that seemed to melt and glimmer when you stared into them. Long brown wavy locks that fell down to the middle of her back - they looked so soft and he had the temptation to run his hands through it. Her skin was a warm ivory color and her cheeks had a little bit of red to them, turning an intense pink whenever she blushed.

Morgan snapped himself out of it and went over to his desk continuing with the paperwork. He did glance over to look at her every once in a while though, curious about her. After all, she was the new girl in the BAU and everyone was bound to be interested in her. Being a profiler, it was natural to look into people, but he also didn't want to invade Elizabeth's privacy, trying to peer into her personal life.

He did notice that she looked rather melancholic when no one was looking at her though - or when she thought no one was looking. It was more so her eyes that looked sad. It was understandable in some sense since she had just left her home in England to move here, but the sadness seemed deeper than that. It seemed more intense than just homesickness.

She looked up and saw him staring at her and he quickly turned to look away. He peeked at her out of his peripheral vision and she was laughing lightly. He let a smile quirk onto his lips - she was cheeky.

Elizabeth found it amusing when she looked up to see Morgan staring at her. She must seem like a shiny new toy, often common when there was someone new starting somewhere. She also felt baffled as to why Derek Morgan would be staring at her. She felt completely average compared to him, ordinary.

She turned back into what Emily was showing her though and listened intently about their paperwork processes. It seemed simple enough and it was similar to the paperwork they did at Scotland Yard, just more in-depth. She filled out a couple with Emily's supervision and soon got the thumbs up that she was completing them correctly.

"Well, I think it's time for a small tour. It's not much, but it's good to know anyway." Emily spoke and the two stood up.

Elizabeth followed behind as she pointed out where Hotch's office was, where Gideon's office was, the coffee station, where to find Chief Strauss, etc. They stepped out of the bullpen and started heading down the hallway and Elizabeth remembered that Penelope said her office was in this hallway.

Emily opened the door and they saw the technical analyst sitting there drinking a cup of coffee while playing some sort of roleplaying game. Penelope heard the door open and turned around, nearly spilling coffee on herself.

"Hola, senoritas!" She spoke, sounding chipper.

Elizabeth smiled and tried to contain a laugh. "Elizabeth, this is Penelope Garcia, our technical analyst," Emily spoke, gesturing to the bubbly woman.

"We've been introduced. We took the lift up together," she spoke and then caught herself. "Sorry, elevator."

The other two women laughed. "We'll happily school you in all the American lingo," Penelope joked.

"You'll get there eventually," Emily exclaimed.

Elizabeth was already beginning to enjoy her new team and they all seemed to accept her. They still didn't know much about her, but they didn't have an issue with that. They must have understood that they would come to know her over time and they would gain her trust, just like they had all done with each other at some point in time.

"So, I couldn't help but notice that Morgan was ogling at you," Emily spoke and Penelope leaned forward with a mischievous grin.

"No way! Thee Derek Morgan?" Penelope asked, in an amazing shock. "I'm not surprised, you are gorgeous, but Derek Morgan... damn sweety."

Elizabeth blushed furiously. "I-It's just because I'm new, he'll get over it in a week." She stuttered out nervously.

She was almost positive that would be the answer, but time was the only way to know. Morgan would get over his fascination soon and they would just be regular coworkers and maybe friends in the future.

Emily and Penelope looked at each other for a moment in disbelief at Elizabeth's deflection. They were shocked that she wouldn't think Morgan would be interested in her. Emily could see that she had some buried confidence issues and something that was underlying. She was easy to read when she was vulnerable, which is how she felt right now. She was still new to the team so she hadn't been able to steel herself up yet.

The women continued to talk about other simple things, avoiding the topic of Morgan, knowing it was making Elizabeth uncomfortable.

"So, does the team see each other outside of work?" She asked.

"Yeah, we have outings once a month and go to do something. Usually, it's just dinner somewhere or sometimes clubbing, depends on the mood." Emily explained.

"Just like a family," Penelope exclaimed.

They were a family here and Elizabeth wanted to be a part of it. She hadn't been a part of a family dynamic in a long time and she felt lonely. She would be working with this group every day and sometimes seeing each other for extended periods of time when on a case. It seemed she had found exactly what she was looking for here.

"What are you doing after work tonight?" Penelope asked.

"I was planning on going to the grocer's to stock up since I just moved in yesterday," she said. "My refrigerator is looking rather empty at the moment."

"Well, there are a few stores not too far away. Do you want a shopping buddy?" Penelope questioned.

Elizabeth nodded. "That would be fantastic actually," she smiled.

Just then, Emily's phone rang and she sighed before answering. "Prentiss," she spoke shortly. There was a little bit of mumbling. "Sure, I'll send her your way." She ended the call and looked over to Elizabeth with boredom in her eyes.

"Strauss would like to see you in her office," Emily spoke with a voice of lackluster.

Penelope sucked in some air. "Ooh, principal's office on the first day." She said jokingly.

Elizabeth clapped her hands. "Alright, I will go take care of that." She turned around and the two women laughed a little.

She headed out of the office and back toward the bullpen. She walked with purpose, hearing the clack of her heels on the floor. She opened the door and headed towards the small upper level. She could feel eyes on her as she walked across the room.

Morgan watched her as she strode across the office with confidence. She held her head high and had a perfect posture that a soldier would be jealous of. Her hair flew behind her a bit as she walked and there was a little bounce to her step. She was an easy person to admire.

She walked the rest of the distance to Strauss's office and knocked on the door. It opened a few seconds later and a woman opened the door. Elizabeth stepped inside and the woman closed the door.

"You must be Elizabeth?" She asked.

"That would be me," Elizabeth responded and held out her hand. "Erin Strauss?"

"Correct," she shook the new profiler's hand. "It's nice to meet you finally, I've heard good things."

"Thank you, Ma'am," Elizabeth spoke.

They both sat down and Strauss pulled out a folder that had a few pieces of paperwork inside. She opened it and it looked like one of the pieces of paper was a small checklist.

She pulled out the checklist and handed it to Elizabeth. She looked it over and saw there were a few things she needed to do before she was able to be in the field. They all looked rather simplistic and she remembered practicing these when she knew she was transferring.

"So, these are just a few things that the bureau requires before an agent is allowed in the field. You are going to be taking your gun qualification test on Thursday and then the physical test on Friday." Strauss looked back down at some more paperwork that was just procedural to have her sign and look through and then personal info she would like on file. "Oh, I've assigned Morgan to train with you leading up to your physical test. He runs the FBI physical training programs so he'll be the best person here. He'll set up times and run through the requirements."

Elizabeth nodded in acknowledgment. "Is there anything else you need me for?" She asked when it seemed like there weren't any more topics.

"Not that I can think of at the moment," she paused. "Just let me know if there is anything I can help with."

Elizabeth nodded. "Thank you, ma'am," she said and stood up grabbing the folder that Strauss handed her.

She left the chief's office and walked back down into the bullpen and saw Morgan glaring down at a piece of paperwork. She walked over to him and leaned against his desk and he looked up.

"Looks like you will be my training partner for the next week," she said with a cheeky smile and placed down the piece of paper with her physical requirements and his name on it.

He looked down at the paper before up at her, a small smirk on his face.

"Is that so, doll face?" Morgan spoke and a blush spread over her cheeks.

"That is what Strauss said, is that alright?" She questioned.

"Of course," he paused, thinking for a moment. "Are you open tomorrow night?" He asked.

She nodded. "Sure, where should I meet you?"

"There's a track and field about a mile away, I can send you the address if you'd like." He offered and she nodded and went to grab a piece of paper to write down her number. "Garcia already programmed our phones with your number, no need to worry." He spoke, placing his hand on hers.

They locked eyes for a moment and she found herself getting lost. He had very kind eyes that showed her that he was caring and compassionate and he had an aura that made her feel welcome and she didn't feel like such an outsider. She quickly looked away, knowing it would be awkward if she continued for too much longer.

Morgan had had the same issue. He could see that she was also compassionate and she had a lot of heart, a selfless person. However, he could still see that sadness lurking there. Looking directly in her eyes now, he could see that it was more than just homesickness. She was definitely melancholic and something that was troubling her. He could tell she was strong though, she didn't let her sadness get in the way of making the day as good as possible and didn't let it bring her down.

They both looked away and Elizabeth smiled gently. "I guess I will see you tomorrow afternoon then." She said and Morgan nodded, returning her smile.

Just then, Prentiss walked into the office and saw the two chatting. She walked over to the two and stepped up next to Elizabeth.

"Alright, stop flirting with Morgan," Prentiss joked and waved her back over to her desk.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes with a smile on her face. "It's not flirting, it's called friendly conversation." She answered in reply.

Morgan chuckled. Elizabeth followed Emily back over to her desk and they sat down, continuing the paperwork they had been previously working on. She looked back over to Morgan to see him staring at her with a playful smile. She winked at him and smiled before turning back to her work.

For the next few hours, they continued with their paperwork until it hit four o'clock. Elizabeth had gotten the hang of the paperwork and Prentiss had given her a few pointers in between on profiling and how it's different when you're face to face with an unsub.

Elizabeth had been dealing with criminals for the past 8 years and knew how to deal with them, but she had never dealt with serial killers. It was scientifically proven that over sixteen percent of criminals had psychopathic tendencies, but serial killers were a whole different game. The cases that the BAU dealt with were the worst of the worst.

She was nervous about whenever her first case would be, but she was excited to feel like part of the team. She was excited to get the chance to prove herself and that she was good enough to be here. She always felt like she had something to prove with whatever group she was in. Even though she had been extremely successful at Scotland Yard, she didn't know if that would matter here.

By roughly 2 p.m., Elizabeth had moved to her own desk which was right across from Morgan's desk. She sat at her desk quietly working on files and asking the occasional question to Morgan whenever she was confused about certain reasoning, explaining the profiling the lead to that conclusion.

Toward the end of the day, she felt a tap on her shoulder abs looked up to see Penelope standing there with a bright smile on her face.

"Ready to go shopping?" She asked.

"It's just grocery shopping, Penelope," Elizabeth said.

Penelope rolled her eyes. "I'm taking you clothes shopping beforehand. You need some American fashion." She said and now Elizabeth was the one rolling her eyes.

"Fine," she gave in.

Penelope rejoiced. "Alright, let's go." She said and linked her arm with Elizabeth's.

"Wait!" She halted in her tracks. "My purse!" She said and stretched back to grab her back off of her desk. Once she had a firm grasp on it, Penelope instantly began pulling her off again.

Morgan was walking out of the office just behind them with an amused smile as the eager technical analyst dragged the new girl toward the elevator. They all got in and stood closely. In the confined space she could smell the cologne that Morgan was wearing, and it was intoxicating. It almost smelled like patchouli and cedarwood mixed together.

She could feel his eyes on the back of her head and a blush came to her cheeks and started to run down her neck and chest. It was beyond odd for her because she never felt like she was worthy of attention. She didn't feel like she was special in any way, so Morgan constantly having his eyes on her, made her feel different.

The elevator doors opened and they all walked out of the building. Immediately Penelope started pulling Elizabeth out into the parking lot and she had to redirect the bubbly woman toward the right car.

She turned back to Morgan and Emily and waved to them. "See you tomorrow," she said and the two chuckled as Penelope dragged her off, excited for the shopping trip.

Elizabeth got in on the driver's side and Penelope got into the passenger seat, buckling up and then sitting there with an excited smile on her face. Elizabeth began driving and Penelope gave her instructions on how to get to the nearest shopping center. They stopped at the grocer's first and then dropped them off at her house and then drove to D.C. where the downtown area held all of the clothing shops.

In D.C. at least, the shopping centers didn't look that different. A lot of them were smaller boutiques, but she recognized some of the bigger names from ads and that sort of thing. Elizabeth was more interested in the boutiques they had and went inside. She looked at skirts and dress slacks that had cute patterns. She also found a couple of button-up shirts with fun patterns and blazers to pair with them. She paid a decent amount out of pocket but was very pleased with her decisions.

They went to a sports goods store next as Elizabeth realized she didn't have that many workout clothes. She had some leggings and sweatshirts, but she didn't have a large selection. She mostly worked out at home back in England and had her own workout equipment in the apartment so she could just wear a simple pair of shorts and a t-shirt. She was going to be working out with Morgan for the next little bit here and she didn't want him to think that she was a slob.

Penelope took her to a couple of thrift stores that she knew to sell more oddball things which are where she found some of her favorite items and oddities. Elizabeth was fascinated by the strange items that ranged from voodoo dolls, glass balls, old baby dolls, weird abstract art, and many other things.

Elizabeth had wandered off to the book section immediately and began searching. She found several books about the mythology that seemed interesting and added them to her basket. She also looked around the decorations area and found some items that matched the theme she was going for. She found an old mandala tapestry, some throw pillows with little tassels on the edges, and an old weathered globe. She decided to purchase these pieces since they seemed to fit the feel she was going for with her home.

Penelope came back with several interesting pieces to add to her wardrobe and a couple of interesting decorations. The two paid for the picks and then left the thrift store. She had no idea that she would have made such a fun relationship on her first day in the United States.

It was odd how it easy it was here. There was such a strange feeling of easy belonging. Maybe it was because the team was so kind and welcoming when she arrived or the change of environment made her more comfortable. Another welcoming aspect was that no one knew her past. Her mother and brother weren't here and no one on the team knew how her childhood had been. They wouldn't be treating her like she was fragile. What they knew was her upstanding reputation from working in Scotland Yard and how she had been successful and a very hard worker. They didn't know that she had gone through an extremely traumatic event that affected her psyche.

Elizabeth was great about keeping on a mask when she was around others and she just hoped that no one would see through it. She would be able to hide the real reason if anyone asked though. She could just say that she had depression that came in waves. It was an acceptable enough answer and sometimes depression just pops out of the blue, no cause for it. It just happened. They wouldn't question her any further and they would look right past it. There would be no reason for her to divulge that horrific period of her life.

Elizabeth dropped Penelope off at her apartment and gave her a warm smile as she exited the car.

"Thanks for a fun night, Penelope," Elizabeth exclaimed.

Penelope returned her smile. "Of course, what are friends for," she said.

Elizabeth chuckled. "I'll see you tomorrow," she responded.

"See you tomorrow, sweet cheeks!" Penelope said and closed the door, waving as she walked up the pathway toward the building.

Elizabeth drove back to her new house and parked in the driveway. She grabbed her many bags out of the trunk and lugged them inside. She threw the clothes into the washer, not enjoying wearing them fresh out of the store. She then placed her new throw pillows on her couch, the globe in the office, and then hung the mandala tapestry up in her behind the bed frame.

After that, she quickly got ready for bed and laid down. She stared at the ceiling for a while and reflected over her day. She was still shocked about how her day had gone. She was shocked that it went so well. She was shocked that the team had been so welcoming. Usually, people weren't very welcome to change especially in an environment that they encounter on a daily basis. Specifically, this team sometimes spent more time together than their own families since they had to go to different cities to work on different cases.

She was being treated like she was already a valued team member even though they didn't really know her. Penelope had immediately clicked with her and they got along very well even though they didn't have as many nerdy things in common. It was more that they could find a conversation anywhere, sometimes being even philosophical.

Emily had been very willing to just teach her the ropes and they were comfortable with each other. Emily had shown her how their team functioned and immediately started including her in on everything and helped her meet the other team members she hadn't known beforehand.

Then, there was Morgan. He was definitely an interesting character. He was handsome and charismatic, and from what she could tell from the others is that he was kind. She didn't know him very well yet except for the fact that he was rather flirtatious and called Penelope 'baby girl', but he seemed to be just as kind as everyone else on the team.

She wondered why he found her so interesting and why he was so fascinated with her. He couldn't seem to keep his eyes off of her during the day and he was curious about her. She didn't know what he was seeing. She wasn't an interesting person. She spent the majority of her time working and when she had free time she would be reading, working out, or working on cases at home. Plus, she considered that look-wise, she was completely ordinary and average. She didn't think she was beautiful. She had brown eyes, ivory skin, and frizzy curly hair that she never displayed. She blowdried it into loose waves for work during the day so no one really knew she had curly hair.

She attempted to push her thoughts out of her mind and turned the lights off. Soon enough she was able to fall asleep.

The next day went pretty much the same way with the paperwork and talking to the team again. Morgan and she sat down with each other at lunchtime and talked about something that had been on the news earlier that morning. They also set up their plans to work out once they were free from the lull of paperwork.

After the workday, they met at the track they had discussed. It was the size of a football field - well, an American football field. She parked her car in the parking lot that was attached and saw Morgan set up off the side of the track. He was in a black t-shirt and grey gym shorts. The shirt was tight-fitting and showed off his muscles well. Her mouth started to water. She blinked herself out of it and got out of her car.

She had decided on a pair of black sports leggings and a light pink tank top. She had pulled her hair into a high ponytail to keep it out of her face and a few baby hairs had flown out in the process of bustling around her house, grabbing her belongings.

Morgan noticed her walking on the field and looked over with a smile. She waved at him shyly and approached him. She set her bag down by the bench and stepped closer to him.

"Hey, how's it going?" He asked.

"Pretty good," she responded. "What about you?"

"Decent, surprised I didn't fall asleep after all the paperwork." He laughed.

She almost swooned, his laugh and bright smile were almost intoxicating. The way the corners of his eyes crinkled when his smile reached there. His laugh was almost as beautiful, a melodic tenor in her ears. She had to try to stay out of a trance hearing the sound.

She smiled. "I guess I'm not as bored by it yet, newbie perks." She responded and he smiled in return.

"You'll get there," he said.

They walked over to the track after she retied her shoes. "So, I'm going to time for a 300-meter sprint and then one and a half-mile. I'll let you know your results after each event," he said and she nodded.

They decided upon the 300-meter sprint first. She lined up in one of the lanes and Morgan told her where the stopping point would be. She set herself and waited for his mark. He gave the go-ahead and she sprinted forward. She felt the wind blowing against her skin as she ran and soon she had reached the stopping point. She looked back at him and he looked at the stopwatch.

"Fifty-three seconds," he said and then looked back down. "Did you cheat?" He said.

She chuckled. "Nope, I'm just fast."

He laughed in response. "That's for sure. Do you work out a lot in your free time?" He asked.

Elizabeth nodded. "Yeah, it's relaxing for me. Plus, it's a great way to blow off some steam." She responded.

"Well, let's see if you're just as good on your mile and a half." He said and she came back to the starting point again.

He gave her the starting signal again and she started running. Each lap around the track was a quarter of a mile so she would have to run six laps to get the mile and half done. It didn't take long to complete however she noticed that she was breathing a little heavier, the humidity of Virginia vastly different from England. Regardless, she finished at the same time that she usually would.

"That's great, you got 8 minutes and thirty-six seconds." He said and high fived her as she jogged back over to him.

She walked over to her bag and grabbed her bottle of water she had packed. She chugged a little bit before putting the cap back on and setting it down. She looked back over to Morgan to see him ogling at her. She blushed severely and turned away. She hoped that her blush would just blow off as being warm from running.

"Take a break for a few minutes and then I'll have you do the sit up and push up portion," he said.

She sat down on the ground in a criss-cross position and Morgan sat down on the ground across from her. She stretched out a little bit more and they created small talk.

"So, how are you liking the BAU?" He asked.

She looked up at him while she spread her legs into a v-shape, pulling the top of her foot to stretch the muscle.

"I like it. I'm sure I'll like it more once I'm out in the field and working actual cases, but for right now it's good." She responded.

"That's fair," he said. "So, what made you want to pursue law enforcement?" Morgan questioned.

She tensed for a moment before realizing she needed to relax otherwise she was going to give herself away. Morgan had noticed the reaction though and was immediately intrigued. What was the story behind her reaction? It wasn't a difficult question, but something about it had bothered her.

"The criminal psyche." She said and Morgan inclined his head, wanting to hear more, to see if it gave anything away. "I want to know more about how the criminal mind works and what urges it to hurt others," she said. "And I want to put the bastards away."

Morgan sighed. "Preach," he spoke.

He could tell there was still some underlying reason but decided to leave it for now. He knew he didn't have the right to barge in on his new coworker's life. Hell, he wouldn't even do that to his coworkers that he's known for years. He considered them his family members though and if him knowing something could affect their safety, he would try to get to the bottom of it. He would respect her privacy though and if she wanted to tell him, he would listen.

"So, what was it like growing up in England?" He continued with his questions.

"The same as anyone else's childhood I suppose. I graduated from college at 15 and then went to university after that. I have two Ph.D.'s. One in law enforcement and the other in psychology. I figure that the two would be good to have under my belt if I wanted to try for the BAU." She explained.

"Damn, you're going to give Reid a run for his money." Morgan chuckled and she laughed in response.

The sound was like tiny bells and she threw her head back slightly when she laughed. She was simply gorgeous and he wished he could tell her that. Express to her that she was the most beautiful woman he had seen. He didn't know what it was about this tiny woman that held him captive, but he knew he never wanted to be released. It was a blissful cage.

"What about you, Derek? What was it like growing up in the US?" She asked.

He thought for a moment. "Eventful. Kids are chaotic and always doing something to keep themselves busy. My thing was football. I got a scholarship to play and I ended up pursuing law enforcement in the end." He elaborated. "What university did you go to?"

"Cambridge," she replied.

"The big leagues, impressive." He said and she chuckled.

"I was lucky, must have been a fluke," she said.

Morgan rolled his eyes. "You don't give yourself enough credit," he exclaimed. "They wouldn't just let anyone in."

She shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe."

Morgan was almost frustrated with her. How couldn't she see how great she was and how amazingly intelligent she was? From the few conversations Morgan had had with her, he was taken aback by her surplus of knowledge. She always had something to input into the conversation or able to give some food for thought. Hearing that she went to Cambridge University only furthered his praise. Going to a university with that competitive of an entrance proved that she wasn't ordinary.

They chatted for a little while longer while they both stretched. Eventually, though, they got back to working out.

"Alright, sit-ups or push-ups first?" He asked.

"Sit-ups, please." She said and Morgan nodded.

She got in position and Morgan moved to hold her feet down. "Alright, go." He said.

She started doing the exercise and worked toward getting as many reps in as she could. After the minute had passed, she had achieved forty-eight. They went straight into the push-ups section which was untimed, she just needed to get as many as possible before she had to stop. She proudly got in thirty-six.

Morgan clapped her on the shoulder as she sat back on her heels, breathing heavily. She always pushed herself hard when she was working so she would be prepared for something like this. And from the feedback she was getting from Morgan, he sounded impressed. Pride swelled in her chest.

They both decided to continue running laps together for a little while. They both enjoyed the runner's high they got from running for long periods of time. They didn't even talk, just enjoyed each other's company.

It was odd how easy it was for her to be around him. She usually got uncomfortable around men, but Morgan had a kind aura that comforted her. She felt perfectly fine being around him.

The two of them stopped when it started to get dark outside. They grabbed their bags and headed toward their cars. She threw her bag into the backseat of her car and looked over to Morgan as he was about to get into his.

"Thank you for this, Derek," she said and smiled.

He smiled in return. "Of course, Beth." He said and waved to her before getting in his vehicle.

A lingering smile was left on her face as she watched him pull out of his parking spot and drive out of the parking lot. She liked the little nickname. Beth.

She had a feeling she was going to like it here very much.


End file.
